Even before the world knew him as a genius, the FBI had the book on Steve Jobs. In a 1991 background check, the FBI pegged Apple’s co-founder as brash and unlikable and noted his early drug use. Most tellingly, the agents, evaluating Jobs for an appointment under President George H.W. Bush, said acquaintances found him to have a peculiarly driven nature. Read full article > >

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Steve Jobs’s unflattering FBI file mentions drug use, 2.65 GPA

Waiting for Apple’s next tablet? You may not have to wait long. According to a report from All Things Digital’s John Pacszkowski , the next iPad is coming in the first week of March. Given that release date, it’s not clear when the new device would hit stores, but Paczkowski estimates that it would be around a week after the launch event. Read full article > >

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Report: ‘iPad 3’ coming first week of March?

A letter from Apple’s legal team reveals that the firm wants Europe to revise rules covering patents that are essential to industry standards.

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Apple seeks revised patent rules

John Browett, the former chief of Dixons Retail, a British-based store chain, will become Apple’s senior vice president overseeing retail efforts.

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Bits Blog: For New Store Chief, Apple Looks Outside

Apple has named John Browett, chief executive of Dixons Retail, as its top retail executive, charged with developing the sales strategy for the company as it expands Apple stores around the world.

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Apple Names European Executive to Head Retail Operations

Square’s mobile readers are headed to select T-Mobile retail locations Tuesday, and just in time for campaign season. The Square mobile reader — a smartphone accessory with a card reader that you can plug into the headphone jack of most iPhones, iPads and Android devices — will be sold in T-Mobile stores starting Tuesday. The attachments, which are already sold in Apple stores and other retailers such as Target and Best Buy, make it possible to process credit cards via smartphone. That ability has become increasingly important for merchants who have historically run on a cash-only basis, such as food carts or farmer’s market vendors. Read full article > >

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Square readers coming to T-Mobile stores

A reporter will discuss the challenges posed by increasingly globalized high-tech industries, based on a deep look inside the economics of Apple’s manufacturing.

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Economix Blog: Charles Duhigg Responds to Readers on Apple and the iEconomy

Thirty years ago, a young and floppy-haired Steve Jobs made a rare lobbying effort in Washington to get more Apple computers into classrooms. The effort paid off: Apple got tax breaks for donating computers to schools, a charitable effort that won over educators and made the Apple II and the Mac the first computers used by millions of children. Read full article > >

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Apple expected to delve into textbooks

Due to “immense pressure” from Apple, Jobs’s family.

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Steve Jobs Action Figure Scrapped

LAS VEGAS — Microsoft opened the International Consumer Electronics Show by introducing much-awaited Windows Phone devices that will struggle to close a canyon-like gap established by leaders Apple and Google. In a keynote speech, Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced that Nokia’s Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II phones using Windows Phones software will be offered later this year on AT&T’s 4G LTE network. Nokia’s Lumia 710, using the Windows Phones software, will be available Wednesday to T-Mobile USA customers. Read full article > >

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CES: Microsoft’s Ballmer announces new Windows Phone devices

For Apple fans worldwide, Steve Jobs was a superhero. Now, he’s been given a tribute usually accorded to superheroes: An action figure has been made in his likeness. The doll, which was created by Chinese company In Icons , will be released in February, but can be pre-ordered now. Of course, you’ll have to wait a bit until the Web site comes back up. It seems rabid Jobs fans have overwhelmed the company with visits. Read full article > >

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Steve Jobs doll craze crashes manufacturer’s Web site

As far as years in technology go, 2011 was one for the record books. It wasn’t just about big battles like Apple vs. Samsung, Microsoft vs. Google, AT&T vs. the world, or Hewlett-Packard vs. itself. It wasn’t just about the growth of apps and the ever-increasing pervasiveness of the Web in our daily lives, though there were plenty of amazing developments both these realms. It wasn’t just about hardware or software. And it wasn’t just about towing the line or trying to hold onto it. Read full article > >

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2011: The year when it became the norm for the device in your pocket to be the center of your world

Italy’s competition watchdog fines Apple 900,000 euros for failing to publicise shoppers’ right to two-year guarantees.

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Italy fines Apple over guarantees

Chinese officials are investigating an explosion last weekend at another factory in China that makes components for Apple products. Apple supplier Pegatron Corp. said in a statement that the explosion at the Shanghai factory occurred in dust collection equipment, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The wire service said local media reported that 61 people were hurt and more than 20 hospitalized but that none had life-threatening injuries. Read full article > >

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Report: Apple partner Pegatron under scrutiny after blast

Motorola Mobility can try to force Apple to remove its products from Germany’s stores after winning a patent case against the iPhone-maker.

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Motorola wins Apple patent fight